Plating machine



Nov. 23 1926.

W. F. SERVICE PLATING MACHINE Filed may 1925 f 77. 1 45 K [n vEnzur' YPatented Nov. 23, 1926.

UNITED STATES restate WILLIAM FFORD SERVICE, OF NEW BRITAIN,CONNECTICUT.

PLATING MACHINE.

Application filed May 2, 1925. Serial No. 27,339.

My invention relates to improvements in plating machines, of the formthat comprises the combinatlon of a conveyor structure for carrying thework and a set of vats or tanks for cleansing water and solutions forcleaning and the actual plating, and, also, having means for deliveringthe goods from the conveyor, and the object of my improvement is toproduce a plating machine that except for the detail of applying thegoods to be pleated to the conveyor, which latter is done by hand, isessentially automatic; is continuous in its operation; is relatively ofmoderate dimensions; is simple and economical; and is convenient andefficient.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a plan view of my improvedplating machine, part of the conveyor structure with the work supportingdevices being broken away.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same. v Figure 3 is an endelevation of the same.

Figure 4 is an end elevation as viewed from the other end.

Figure 5 is an end face view on an enlarged scale of one of theelevating guide wheels, the cooperating idler wheels being indicated bybroken lines.

Figure 6 is a side elevation or. edge view of the same in the positionfor use, with the supporting bracket and adjacent parts.

My improved plating machine comprises in'combination a conveyorstructure that has the actual conveyor element 10 in the form of anendless cable and'a set of vats or tanks The latter comprise the initialcleaner tank 11; the cyani'd tank 12; the water tank 13.; the platingtank 14; and the final water tank 15 and the-work is carriedsuccessively along by the cable 10 and immersed in the water orsolutions in the different tanks. and in the order named, the differentfunctions per provided with a series of buttons 18 that are made in twoparts for being applied to the cable and have a circumferential groove19 for loosely receiving the eye portion 20 of a hanger 21 of wire. Thelower end of the hanger 21 is in the form of an eye 22 and on the latteris hung the hook-shaped upper end 23 of the work hanger or supportingrod 24, the latter being provided with the usual laterally directedbranches 25 that aredistributed along the length on two opposite sidesfor receiving the work.

The hooks 23 on the rods 24 are adapted to cooperate with a stripper 26of wire or the like for removing the work supporting rods 24 from thehangers 21 individually at the delivery end 27 of the machine.

As regards the stripping, this is effected in conjunction with theparticular elevator guide wheel 28 that serves to guide and elevate thecable 10 between the final water tank 15 and the initial cleaner tank 11and which has a set of recesses 29 that open inwardly from theperiphery. The wheel 28 has a central peripheral groove 30 for the cable10 and, under conditions of use, as the cable 10 travels upwardlycoincident with the rotation of the wheel the wire hanger 21 falls intoone of the recesses 29 so that the eye 22 at the free end overhangs theadjacent outer end face 31 of the wheel 28, said eye being the support.for the hook 23, as described. As the hanger 21 descends from the highpoint of its travel the hook 23 is brought into registration with thefree end 32 of the stripper 26 and as the movement of the wheel 28 iscontinued the rod 24 is finally stripped from the hanger 21 and carriedby gravity along the stripper 26, the latter being suitably inclined forthe purpose and also being bent to deliver the work to I a convenientdelivery or receiving point.

An elevator guide. wheel 28 is provided at every change from one tank toanother and in each case the hangers 21 enter recesses 29 and the rods24 overhang the wheel and are opposed to the adjacent face 31 of thewheel in the manner described. In order to provide clearance for thework on the rods 24 I provide as an operative support for the same stubshaft 33 or the like that is inclined ap- An inclination of about workwill hang freely and clear of adjacent parts.

The stub shaft 33 is operatively supported by means of a bracket 34 andmeans are provided in some cases for an appreciable ad'- j ustment inelevation, such adjustment being provided to effect clearance of thelower ends of the work supporting rods 24 relatively to the top edges ofthe adjacent tanks.

A pair of idlers 35 cooperate with each of the elevator guide wheels 28for guiding the cable 10. I

The driving wheel 36 is in the form of a grooved pulley that is locatedadjacent the inner end and at the middle of the width of the platingtank 14; is supported by a vertical shaft 37; and which latter is drivenby means of a motor 38. From the two sides of the drive wheel 36 twoparallel runs 39 of the cable 10 extend outwardly to two guide wheels 40adjacent the outer end 41 of the tank 14. From the outer sides of theend guide wheels 40 two runs 42 of the cable 10 travel inwardly adjacentthe front side 43 and the rear side 44 respectively of the tank 14 andwhich runs 42 terminate at the elevator structures 45, each of which hasa guide wheel 28 such as has been described. 7 The elevator structures45 serve simply to elevate the cable 10 with its load, without otherchange in direction, and may be designated as straightaway elevatorstructures and in distinction from the return-bend elevator structures46, of which three are provided so as to provide for both elevation anda reversal in the direction of the cable 10.

Consideration will now be given to the location of the different tanksand the movement of the cable under conditions of use.

The plating tank 14 is of extra width and each of the other tanks, whichmaybe designated as auxiliary tanks, is substantially one-fourth of thewidth of the said plating tank, and the four are located side by sideand as a whole positioned at the end of the plating tank, with the endsin abutment with the end of the plating tank. Furthermore, the end orfinishing tank is the front tank 15 at the left of the plating tank 14in Fig. 1.

Then in order from front to rear are the initial cleaner tank 11 thecynid tank 12, and the water tank 13.

The work travels back and forth four iines in the plating tank 14 on thefour different runs therein, the final run being designated as 42adjacent the front wall 43. This last run travels from right to left,over the elevator structure 45, and then along the right to left run 47in the front finishing water tank 15 to the first return-bend elevatorstructure 46. Then comes the left to right run 48 in the cleaner tank 11to the second return-bend elevator structure 46 and from the latter theright to left run 49 in the oyanid tank 12 to the third returndoendelevator structure 46. From the latter e1;- tends the leftto right run50 up to the straightaway elevator structure 45 where it meets the rearrun 42 in the plating tank 14.

Agitation means for facilitating the plating are provided involving inone case the use of the work and its supporting rods and in anotherphase the use of a circulating pump 51.

The pump 51 may be conveniently located adjacent the front and outercorner 52 of the plating tank 14, has an intake 53 that is located onlyslightly below the top level 54 of the electrolyte; that has a dischargesystem through a header 55 that has a plurality of outlets 56 that aredistributed around the inner wall of the tank 14, and; which outlets areat a slightly higher elevation than the top level 54 mentioned of theelectrolyte.

The mechanical agitation means, involving the work and work supportingdevices, comprises a set of boards 57 that are positioned in the platingtank 14 so that the edge 58 of each is substantially just below the run,39 or 42 in each case, and so that the hangers 21 would tend to assume aposition alongside saio edge 58. On said edge, how ever, are mounted aseries of flat springs 59 that are in the path of the hangers andoperate to resiliently push the hangers with the work rod 24 to oneside. After traveling the length of the spring 59 the hanger 21 slipsoff from the free end 60 of the spring, resulting in a lateral whippingeffect that operates as a positive means of agitation of the liquid.

The structure described is relatively compact and efiicient and exceptfor applying the work by hand is automatic in operation.

1 claim my invention 1. In a plating machine, a plating tank, a conveyorfor supporting work and having a portion that cooperates with said tank,sup porting and guide devices for said portion, and said devices beingdistributed relatively to said portion so as to provide a plurality ofreturn bends therein. V

2. In a piating machine, a plating tank, means for supporting work forbeing plated therein, and said means being constructed and arranged toprovide aplurality of return bends for effecting a plurality ofmovements of said work in a given direction while such plating is beingeffected, I V

3. In a plating machine, a plating tank, a cable cooperating therewithas a conveyor for supporting work, and said cable operating as theelectrical conductor for delivering current to said work under operatingconditions.

4. In aplating machine, a plating tank having an end wall, a conveyorcooperating with said tank, work supporting hangers pivoted individuallyto said conveyor and having pendant relation thereto when inregistration with said tank, supporting and guide devices for saidconveyor, and said devices being constructed and arranged to providediiierent elevations for the portions that are in regist ationrespectively with the body of said tank and with said end wall.

5. In a plating machine, a tank having an end wall, a conveyor forsupporting Work and extending over said tank and wall, an elevator guideWheel for said conveyor mounted on said wall, work supports connected tosaid conveyor and overhanging one face of said wheel, and the operatingplane or said wheel being inclined from the vertical to provideclearance for said supports relatively to said face.

6. In a plating machine, a plating tank, a conveyor extending over saidtank, pendant work holders connected to said conveyor and extending intosaid tank, and a set of springs positioned below said conveyor, saidsprings comprising individually a piece of strip material, one endthereof being fixedly supported, the body portion thereof beingprojected across the path of said work holders under operativeconditions, and being of such length as to permit said work holders toslide along said body portion and slip over the free end.

7. In a plating machine, a conveyor, supporting and guide devices forSaid conveyor and comprising an elevator guide wheel for elevating saidconveyor and involving an upward movement of the conveyor on one sideand downward movement on the other side, a hanger connected by one endto said conveyor, having a body portion for extending over the peripheryof said wheel, and having an eye at the free end, a work supporting rodhaving a hook for engagement with said eye, and a stripping railstructure located in the path of said hook for engaging therewith andstripping the same from such engagement with the eye.

8. In a plating machine as described in claim 7 said periphery of theWheel being provided with a set of transverse slots for selectivelyreceiving said body portion of the hanger.

9. In a plating machine, a set of tanks and a conveyor servingsimultaneously as the means for carrying the work to be operated upon insaid tanks and as a main conductor for conducting the electrical currentfor use in effecting the plating of said work.

10. In a plating machine, a set of tanks arranged successively withedges adjacent, a conveyor with pendant hangers for Work and travelingover said tanks, elevator guide wheels for changing the elevation ofsaid conveyor and work over the said edges, and the axes oi said guidewheels being inclined to provide for clearance for said work relativelyto the opposed faces of said guide wheels.

11. In a plating machine, a set of tanks, a conveyor with pendanthangers for Work and traveling over said tanks, an elevator guidewheel-for elevating said conveyor and hangers, and a strippercooperating with said guide wheel for removing the Work from saidhangers.

12. In a plating machine, a conveyor for carrying work in the form of acable, hangers for supporting said work, grooved pulley devices havingplain grooves for guiding said cable, and buttons connecting saidhangers with said cable and mounted on said cable for traveling in. saidgrooves.

wrLLiAM 'rroan SERVICE.

